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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSpec Transportation Fund AllocationsDate: July 15, 2009 To: Deschutes County Board of Commissioners From: Judith Ure, Management Analyst Subject: Special Transportation Fund Advisory Committee Recommendations Special Transportation Fund Formula Grant Process Each year, Deschutes County receives an allocation from the Oregon Department of Transportation's (ODOT) Special Transportation Fund (STF) Formula Grant Program for the purpose of supporting transportation services for the elderly and people with disabilities. These funds are then distributed by the County to local service providers through a competitive grant process. Applications are reviewed by the County's STF Advisory Committee which then formulates a recommendation for consideration by the Board of County Commissioners. Upon Board approval, staff submits an application to ODOT as required to receive the funds and begins the process of preparing individual contracts with recipient agencies under the direction of the County Administrator as the delegated legal signatory for STF activities. STF formula grant funds are made available on a fiscal year basis that begins on July 1. Approved recipients of grant funds are reimbursed quarterly after submitting status reports that detail revenue and expenses, trips provided, hours and miles driven, equipment operated, and accident history for the reporting period. Amount Available Deschutes County's fiscal year 2009-10 STF formula allocation from ODOT totals $265,547, of which $2,000 can be retained by the County to offset administrative expenses. Approximately $28,000 is available in the County's STF program fund as carryover from 2008-09 as a result of interest earnings and previous unclaimed grant awards. However, the County has historically reserved much of the carryover that occurs each year for contingency purposes. The following chart illustrates how the amount to be distributed as grants to local providers during fiscal year 2009-10 was determined: Description Amount + / - Total FY 2009-10 STF Allocation from ODOT + $265,547 $265,547 Program Administration Allotment - 2,000 263,547 Carryover from FY 2008-09 +28,000 291,547 Contingency -27,198 264,349 Total Available for FY 2009-10 $264,349 Special Transportation Fund Advisory Committee Recommendations Deschutes County received five applications requesting funding in the amount of $372,803. All of this year's applicant agencies have been awarded STF formula grants by Deschutes County in the past and have a strong record of performance within the grant guidelines. The Deschutes County STF Advisory Committee met in June and July to review applications for funding and to develop a recommendation for STF distribution. Applicant agencies were invited to attend one of those meetings and were given an opportunity to further describe their services and requests for funding. The Committee's recommendation, which appears below, along with a history of past awards, is based on the amount available for distribution, written and verbal information provided by the applicants, and priorities identified in the Deschutes County Coordinated Human Services Transportation Plan. The last column in the following chart outlines the resulting recommendation of the STF Committee. Agency 2004-05 Award 2005-06 Award 2006-07 Award 2007-08 Award 2008-09 Award 2009-10 Recommendation Bend Dia1-A-Ride* 135,975 140,950 140,950 142,280 138,795 127,129 Central Oregon Council on Aging 46,253 47,555 47,555 49,113 0 0 Central Oregon Resources for Independent Living 9,870 10,163 10,163 10,764 11,374 12,670 Opportunity Foundation 19,845 20,583 20,583 22,384 22,499 23,500 Residential Assistance Program 6,458 6,573 6,573 0 0 0 Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers 12,758 11,025 11,025 0 0 0 DHS Volunteer Services 11,025 12,758 12,758 13,482 18,384 18,667 Central Cascade Lines 0 0 0 41,409 0 0 Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council 0 0 0 0 88,949 82,383 '' Total 242,184 249,607 249,607 279,432 280,001 264,349 *During the fiscal year 2007-08 process, an additional $5,250 per year for a two-year period was awarded to Bend Dial -a -Ride for services to specific individuals living outside the current service boundaries. That allocation represents a prior commitment which expired at the end of fiscal year 2008-09 and did not factor into this year's award process. Recommended Action Staff recommends that the Board of Commissioners approve the recommendations of the STF Advisory Committee and authorize the Board Chair to sign the County's Special Transportation Fund Formula Program application to ODOT when available.